- dropping Shettima on religious grounds would only weaken APC’s standing among core northern voters
- The group warned that injecting religious considerations into the party’s strategy would backfire
- The controversy gained momentum after Shettima’s photograph was conspicuously missing
The fate of Vice President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2027 general election has drawn a sharp reaction from the North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum, which has firmly opposed any move to replace him as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the forum, in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, described suggestions to drop Shettima from the 2027 ticket as politically dangerous and capable of weakening the ruling party’s chances at the polls.
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The statement, signed by the forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, followed growing speculation within the APC that some party figures were pushing for a change in the vice-presidential slot ahead of the next election cycle.
The controversy gained momentum after Shettima’s photograph was conspicuously missing from a banner displayed during the APC’s North-East zonal public hearing on the proposed amendment of the party’s constitution in Maiduguri. The banner reportedly featured President Tinubu, five APC governors from the zone, and the party’s National Legal Adviser.
The omission has since reignited debate around the future of the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket and the Vice President’s political standing within the party. Some party stakeholders have argued that Shettima should be replaced with a Christian candidate, particularly from the North-Central region.
However, the North-Central APC Forum distanced itself from such demands, stressing that the region is not seeking the vice-presidential slot in 2027. According to the forum, its focus remains on positioning the North-Central for the presidency in 2031.
The group warned that injecting religious considerations into the party’s strategy would backfire, noting that there is currently no Christian candidate in the North with the nationwide structure, grassroots support, and political weight needed to complement President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
It further argued that altering a ticket that delivered victory in 2023 would only embolden the opposition and erode the APC’s support base in the North.
“There is serious danger in tampering with a winning formula. We totally reject any plan to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima ahead of 2027,” the forum said, adding that such a move would amount to a grave political miscalculation.
The forum also accused those behind the agitation of working against the interests of President Tinubu and the APC, insisting that changing the ticket would not attract new votes but instead cost the party critical support.
Analysing possible 2027 scenarios, the group said replacing Shettima would not stop northern minority voters from supporting opposition candidates, especially if figures like Peter Obi emerge on another platform.
According to the forum, dropping Shettima on religious grounds would only weaken APC’s standing among core northern voters and hand an advantage to the opposition.
The group also dismissed claims that foreign governments or Western interests could pressure Nigeria into abandoning the Muslim-Muslim ticket, stressing that the country remains sovereign in its political decisions.
“The Muslim-Muslim ticket delivered victory in 2023. Nigeria is not under external control, and no foreign power can dictate our electoral choices,” the statement added.
The forum warned that external interference or internal miscalculations could undermine democracy and trigger unnecessary political tension ahead of the 2027 elections.
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